An
increasing interest in fishery diversification among Louisiana
fishermen and seafood dealers has led to the commercial
growth of such fisheries as red snapper, grouper, and tilefish.
This publication describes the results of a study to identify
the extent of these and other fishery resources available
for bottom longlining off Louisiana; to evaluate the effectiveness
of bottom longlining as a harvesting method; to identify
the most productive areas for bottom longlining; and to
evaluate the profit potential in longlining. The text describes
longlining techniques, discusses catch rates and characteristics,
and provides information about costs and revenues.

Louisiana
has a long history of camp and houseboat usage by both recreational
and commercial groups--especially in the coastal and swamp
regions of the state. As the use of these privately-owned
facilities increases, so does the need proper waste treatment.
This booklet provides a comprehensive summary of the options
available to camp and houseboat owners and the factors that
help determine best treatment system in a given scenario.
It also lists marinas, sanitarians, and other relevant resources
in the state.

Provides
a synoptic overview of this 40 year-old navigation channel
from project inception through modern day. Economic and
environmental impacts related to the MRGO are documented
for St. Bernard Parish and potential restoration scenarios
are described. Additional information is provided on the
time and financial resources required to fully address teh
environmental degradation caused by the MRGO.

One
of the biggest questions that has arisen in recent years
involves the apparent disparity in federal restoration funding
provided for the Florida Everglades versus that provided
for coastal Louisiana. This document uses published reports
and secondary data to develop a parallel comparison of Florida
and Louisiana wetlands at the state, regional, program,
and resource levels. A main finding of the report is that
both Louisiana and Florida share many similarities regarding
the historic causes of wetland loss at the state level.
The two states also share somewhat common approaches to
wetland restoration at the regional level. Reintroduction
of freshwater inflows is the number one priority in both
the Everglades and coastal Louisiana. However, stark differences
begin to emerge as one considers the current and future
status of wetlands in each region. Regulatory actions combined
with agricultural conservation have all but halted wetland
loss in the Everglades, but such policy has no effect in
coastal Louisiana. Projecting current loss rates forward,
the Everglades could possibly lose an additional 40 square
miles of wetlands by the year 2050. Louisiana is expected
to lose that amount in the next 18 months. Side-by-side
comparisons utilized throughout the report include an assessment
of 16 different environmental and socioeconomic factors.
These assessments suggest that the “working wetlands”
of coastal Louisiana are of tremendous national significance,
especially from the standpoint of fisheries productivity,
shipping and commerce, and petroleum infrastructure. The
report concludes by explaining how Louisiana is beginning
to follow Florida’s lead in the areas of programming,
cost-share, and name recognition.

By
discussing exotic aquatic species problems in the classroom,
teachers were able to involve their students in activities
that would make them more aware and motivate them to spread
this awareness around their communities. This stewardship
guide provides information about 15 community stewardship
projects created by students. These projects gave the students
a chance to become involved in an important cause, and by
informing others it helped raise their self-esteem. This
publication includes a number of approaches people can use
to inform others in their communities.

The
technology for commercial production of soft-shelled crawfish
became generally available in 1985. Soft crawfish are produced
by holding and feeding large numbers of immature, hard (intermolt)
red swamp crawfish in culture trays until they molt. By
the 1987-1988 season, an estimated 150 producers were in
operation. The first manual for the commercial production
of soft crawfish rapidly became outdated as producers quickly
incorporated existing technology and modified their culture
systems to accommodate new technology. This manual is an
update of research since the 1985 publication, and includes
a considerable amount of information obtained by working
closely with commercial producers. Discussed are pertinent
aspects of the crawfish life cycle and pond management,
current technology for the selection and collection of immature
crawfish, types of facilities in use, the procedures for
producing and packaging soft crawfish in a high-density
culture system, and a guide for undertaking an economic
analysis.

Individual
quotas (IQ) is one fishery management approach in the Gulf
of Mexico. The quotas are for a share of an allowable catch.
An IQ can be for a fisherman or vessel. When the individual
quota is transferable, it is called an individual transferable
quota. Transfers to whom? Transferable in whole or in part?
Transferred permanently or just leased to others? These
alternatives can be confusing. This publication is designed
to help fishermen and managers think about the elements
of IQs, to make the topic of IQs less complex and less uncertain.

This
workshop proceedings incorporates 15 presentations. Three
papers address economic aspects of recirculating systems;
five discuss various filtration technologies and performances;
support processes (foam fractionation, disinfection, oxygen
absorption, carbon dioxide removal) are discussed in four
papers; and an additional three treat disease control in
closed systems.

Commercial
production of soft crabs depends on capturing crabs that
are about to molt, keeping the animals healthy until they
molt, and harvesting the soft crabs before their shells
have had time to harden. This publication describes the
shedding aspect of commercial production with emphasis on
the design and maintenance of the shedding systems used
to hold hard crabs until they molt. Though the manual presents
design recommendations for the submerged rock filtration
system, it introduces and describes design criteria for
the newer and more powerful fluidized bed and upflow sand
filtration systems.

Like
the soft-shelled blue crab, the soft crawfish is a table
delicacy that may be eaten whole. Although the availability
of soft crawfish has been severely limited in the past by
lack of production technology, recent developments now permit
the production of soft crawfish for commercial markets.
This publication describes the shedding aspect of commercial
production with emphasis on the design and maintenance of
the shedding systems that are used to hold hard crawfish
while waiting for them to molt. Chapters cover critical
water quality parameters, the major components of a recirculating
system, descriptions of filtration systems, and methods
of system management. Line drawings and tables illustrate
system design, water quality guidelines, and flow rates.

This
publication describes a trawling project conducted in
Louisiana coastal waters. Its purpose was to experiment
with different mesh sizes and trawl designs and compare
their efficiency with the trawl developed by a New Orleans
fisherman for use in southeast Louisiana. Descriptions
are given of the vessel used, the gear required, and the
methods employed in fishing; trawl diagrams are provided.
Tables summarize the results of each of twelve trial tows.

Provides
an overview of the historical aspects of Louisiana fisheries
in teh context of pre- and post-levee construction on
the Mississippi River. Data from the Caernarvon Freshwater
Diversion is used to describe the relationship between
freshwater re-introduction and estuarine fisheries productivity.
The report characterizes the conflict between Louisiana's
short-term and long-term goals of coastal resoration and
coastal fisheries management.

This
publication, printed on sturdy, weatherproof paper, provides
information about fish found in inshore and offshore waters
of Louisiana and the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is not
intended to be all-inclusive, but rather a layman's guide
useful for field identification, especially for those fish
under regulation and commonly misidentified. This easy-to-use
pictorial guide will enable a user to identify an individual
fish or a particular group of fishes. e.g., snappers, groupers,
jacks, etc. The pictures are not drawings, but actual color
photographs.

These
conference proceedings, 17 presentations, aim to educate
the public about freshwater diversion projects initiated
in order to save Louisiana's coastal marshes. Topics include:
oyster industry concerns, sediment availability in the Mississippi
River, comparing restoration approaches, and salinity tolerances
of fisheries species, among others. They were presented
by scientists, land owners, and commercial and recreational
fishermen.

Early
in U.S. history, the contiguous 48 states contained an estimated
221 million acres of wetlands. Today, approximately 100
million acres of wetlands remain in this same area, and
they continue to play a large role in the United States’
economic, social and ecological health. In those early years,
few people realized that wetlands performed numerous functions
for individuals and communities, and provided value to their
lives. Today, many Americans support the need for wetland
protection and restoration because they have seen the direct
and indirect impacts of wetland loss in Louisiana and in
many other parts of the country. This full-color booklet
defines wetlands, identifies their major ecological, social
and economic functions and values in Louisiana as a demonstration
of their part in America’s social, economic and ecological
health.

Oysters,
a dominant part of the seafood industry, are susceptible
to disease and other problems, and a challenge for those
who grow and harvest them. This 17-page booklet describes
the scientific progress made in addressing those problems
by National Sea Grant's Gulf Oyster Industry Program.

The
Gulf of Mexico is North America's most easily recognized
geographic feature. The ninth largest body of water on the
planet, the Gulf and its associated ecosystems are critical
to the health and prosperity of natural resources and economies
far beyond their boundaries. Increasingly, the means through
which we appreciate or use the resources of the Gulf are
coming into direct conflict. This conference was held to
foster technologic, scientific, and business advancement
in coastal habitat enhancement and restoration practice
through promotion of positive interactions among involved
regional stakeholders.

The
major physical characteristics of estuarine fishes are provided.
Line drawings of major estuarine species are compared to
clarify identification process. Text includes descriptions
of several species of ladyfish, herring, anchovies, silversides,
mullet, catfish, shad, menhaden, sheepshead, bluefish, perch,
pinfish, seatrout, drum, kingfish, croaker, flounder, and
sole.

The
recent increases in Louisiana landings of yellowfin tuna
by out-of-state fishing vessels and the rising dockside
value of tuna have aroused the interest of the state's commercial
fishing industry in the harvest of this fish. Although potentially
profitable for Louisiana fishermen, yellowfin tuna longlining
involves special fishing gear, fluctuating dockside prices,
and user conflicts over by-catch. This document provides
a summary of historical data on yellowfin tuna landings
from the Gulf of Mexico and a description of the gear and
methods of longlining for yellowfin tuna.

The
production of farm-raised aligators increased from 2,886
in 1984 to 66,500 in 1989. In addition to production, the
number of alligator farms in Louisiana steadily increased
from seven in 1984 to 70 in 1989. Over 125 were in business
by the end of 1990. Alligator farming in Louisiana has generated
an impact of approximately $17 million in output, and $2.5
million in earnings, and created about 182 jobs for Louisiana.
More impact could be realized by achieving more value-added
processing within Louisiana, and by following production
practices that permit more alligators to be raised to larger
sizes.

This
report contains an analysis of the Louisiana crab industry,
with emphasis on the wholesaling and processing sectors.
Based on the results of a 1987 survey conducted by the authors,
the information is helpful to established seafood wholesalers
and processors; to potential investors in the crab industry;
and to those in government and industry who are concerned
with evaluating market legislation, management alternatives,
and seafood promotion strategies.

Commercial
fishing is an important component of the Louisiana economy,
and part of one of the largest sources of employment in
the state. All commercial fish and wildlife activities are
licensed and/or permitted by the Louisiana Department of
Wildlife & Fisheries. Therefore, license sales, the
source material for analysis, reflect the level of activitiy
in a particular fishery.

The
2007 directory provides boaters with a comprehensive listing
of marina facilities, services and supplies in Louisiana.
The booklet also includes marina location and ownership
information compiled from information provided by survey
respondents in the marina industry. An outline of the Louisiana
Clean Marina Program is included.

This
paper reports findings from a 1998 survey of Louisiana commercial
oyster harvesters. The primary purpose of the research was
to identify factors that affect decisions to pursue or to
abandon oyster harvesting as an occupation or way of life.
The authors compare current commercial oyster license holders
with those who do not currently hold licenses and present
findings for current license holders according to fishing
vessel size. The report contains information ranging from
individual and family background characteristics to harvesters'
opinions about major problems in the industry to alternative
employment for harvesters and other family members.

This
paper reports selected findings from a telephone survey
of Louisiana shrimp fishermen. Summarized is information
on vessel size, education, demographics, sales, experience,
employment, economic and social well-being. By far the most
pervasive concern was with the excessive amount of federal
and state regulation. Other concerns high on the list were
overfishing, environmental issues, and financial problems.

Louisiana's
abundant waterways are great places to pass a good time.
But they are becoming crowded as more and more people use
their boats to enjoy the state's natural resources. This
book provides every boater with tips for protecting this
playground so that future generations will be able to do
the same. Topics covered include navigation safety, debris
recycling, sewage disposal, fuel and oil management, wise
boat maintenance, and advice on controlling invasive species.

The
Louisiana soft-shelled crawfish is a relatively new seafood
item available to food service and retail consumers. Currently,
production exceeds consumer demand, though the product appears
to have favorable consumer acceptance. Consumer demand appears
to be less a problem of acceptance than one of marketing
management. This booklet contains recommendations by seafood
marketing specialists for marketing strategies for soft-shelled
crawfish. It includes market description, strategies for
building market channels, recommendations for finding distributors,
and discussions of market pricing.

Provides
information regarding chemical, biological, and physical
parameters of Mississippi River quality and addresses public
concern over the potential pollution associated with using
the Mississippi River for coastal restoration projects.
This collective analysis of scientific studies suggests
that the River poses little or no threat of pollution in
diverstion projects. Trade-offs between potential water
quality risks and diversion benefits are presented.

The
United States has made a concerted effort at the federal
level over the past 130 years to find ways of maintaining
the nation's marine and Great Lakes fisheries, and many
of those efforts have been successful. However, as fisheries
management has become increasingly complex, adequate information
has not been fully available to achieve sustainability while
maintaining environmentally sound and economically friendly
policies. This document describes a nine-part initiative
undertaken by Sea Grant that defines and plans for its role
in these issues nationwide. Research needs and the specific
role of Sea Grant are laid out for each of the nine areas.
Because Sea Grant is a uniquely neutral party in the fisheries
dialogue, it is in the position to facilitate the research
and communication necessary in working toward solutions.

The
Potential for a Stone Crab: Commercial Fishery in Barataria
Bay, Louisiana

Author:
Jerald Horst & David BankstonYear: 1986# Pages: 21

This
booklet reviews the potential for a commercial stone crab
(Menippe mercenaria) fishery. This species is often
found as bycatch in blue crab traps in Gulf of Mexico waters
between North Carolina and the Ycatan Peninsula. Only Florida
has a commercial stone crab fishery. The researchers found
three areas alond Louisiana's coast with possibilities for
population density high enough for harvesting.

This
description of the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary focuses
on the functions of and within the system to take care of
all inhabitants — human and animal. The value of these
functions is also described.

Human
activity in Louisiana's coastal marshes was studied to clarify
location, density, and type of impact on local ecology.
Historical background provides information to contrast with
the study findings.

Over
100,000,000 pounds of red crawfish are harvested annually
in the U.S. from swamps, marshes, and cultivated ponds,
mostly in Louisiana. The red crawfish is native to northern
Mexico and the Mississippi Valley as far north as southern
Illinois. It has been successfully introduced on both the
east and west coasts of the U.S., as well as in a number
of other countries. Since 1980, when this book was first
written, crawfish culture has expanded greatly, and there
is now a proliferation of research data available. The white
river crawfish frequently appears with the red swamp crawfish
and discussion here has been expanded to include this species.
However, the majority of the book is still devoted to the
management and culture of the red swamp crawfish, "Procambarus
clarkii," the most cosmopolitan of the crawfish species.
The text is not intended to be an all-encompassing technical
treatment, but a practical guide for the crawfish culturist.

Five
of the seven species of sea turtles are found in the Gulf
of Mexico and Caribbean Sea; all five of these have been
observed in Louisiana's coastal waters. At one time three
of these species, the green turtle, hawksbill, and loggerhead,
were very plentiful and had great commercial value. But
over the past few decades, sea turtle populations have seriously
declined. Three of the species are listed as endangered
and two as threatened. This report briefly reviews the biological
background of each of the five species of sea turtles inhabiting
the Gulf of Mexico, discusses the chief causes of turtle
mortality and the preservation measures being undertaken,
and summarizes the results of an investigation of the status
of sea turtles in Louisiana's coastal waters.

Louisiana
historically leads all other states in shrimp landings.
Shrimp is also Louisiana's most valuable commercial seafood.
The information presented in this booklet has been compiled
from several sources to best illustrate many aspects of
the shrimp fishery in past years. The material is presented
in charts and graphs to give the reader a quick and easy
reference for trends occurring in the shrimp fishery. A
brief narrative is provided at the beginning of each of
the following sections: (1) shrimp species, (2) shrimping
seasons in inshore and offshore waters, (3) shrimp size,
(4) shrimping effort, (5) participation in the commercial
shrimp fishery, (6) recreational shrimping, and (7) shrimp
supply and processing.

The
future for seafood sales in this country has never looked
better. The health benefits of eating seafood have been
well-publicized, and eating seafood has become fashionable.
This trend is of special interest to Louisiana, which is
the largest producer of fishery products in the United States.
Though there is certainly a potential for profit in marketing
seafood, the business is not without its pitfalls and problems.
The key is to plan well, proceedings only when you have
developed an understanding of supply, market, and capital
needed. This publication is designed to help potential investors
make the decision whether to establish a seafood business.

The
shedding of blue crabs to produce the more commercially
valuable soft-shelled form has been done for at least one
hundred years in the United States. Soft crab prices have
consistently been much higher than the prices for hard-shelled
crabs. In spite of the best efforts of many researchers,
no one has yet developed a profitable system for the culture
of crabs from eggs to marketable animals. The supply of
soft crabs depends upon the ability of commercial fishermen
to catch and recognize crabs that are nearing the molt of
their shells. This publication is designed to assist people
who are considering shedding blue crabs. Although the sections
on open systems and float cars are relatively complete,
the reader will have to consult a much more detailed reference
on closed systems.

More
than 75% of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are privately
owned, yet the majority of restoration funding provided
through CWPPRA and other initiatives is directed towards
large-scale, public restoration projects. This report begins
by comparing the programmatic and economic differences between
the coastal and inland models of wetland restoration that
have evolved in Louisiana over the past decade. The report
describes in detail the environmental, economic, and regulatory
constraints faced by coastal landowners who want to engage
in restoration on their own property. Using the model of
farm conservation policy, the report examines the rationale
and methodology of providing economic incentives to subsidize
wetland restoration on private lands in the Louisiana coastal
zone. Small scale, landowner-based restoration approaches
are separated into market-based and program-based mechanisms.
Alternatives include mitigation banking, carbon sequestration,
creative leasing, de-coupled sales, tax incentives, easements,
and cost-share programs for species control, species preservation,
and coastal revegetation.

Since
the Mississippi River was leveed, saltwater intrusion has
caused waters that were once too fresh for oysters to become
suitable for oyster farming. The State of Louisiana leased
many of the new oyster grounds to oyster farmers. The recent
implementation of freshwater diversion systems has been
successful in returning marshes within the project areas
to a semblance of their natural condition. While this is
good for coastal restoration, it has been detrimental to
oyster farming in those areas. This leaflet describes in
detail the options available to oyster farmers whose leased
grounds fall within restoration areas. It also distinguishes
between 1998 and 2000 procedures, which apply to different
areas.

Using
the Bead Filter in Your Koi Pond: A Comprehensive Guide to
Water Quality Management

Author:
Ronald F. Malone & Kelly A. Rusch Year: 1997# Pages: 50

The
desires of the owners for clear waters and the realities
of the natural environment present a management situation
unique to koi hobbyists. This manual is aimed at providing
the koi hobbyist with (1) an overview of the important water
quality parameters and their interrelationships, (2) a discussion
of the basic principles of biological and physical filtration
using floating bead filters, and (3) a presentation of the
role of algae in aquatic ecosystems and suggestions for
control.

This
report has four specific objectives. These are to identify
the major categories of Louisiana seafood processors by
species, to define the environmental regulatory requirments
that apply to seafood processors, to catalog available historical
data for describing the wastewaters of major Louisiana seafood
processors, and to develop treatment recommendations for
the nontoxic biodegradable wastes produced by these faciliites
for each pocessing category.

In
mid-August 1992, television and radio audiences were alerted
to a potentially damaging hurricane that had formed in the
Atlantic Ocean. On August 24, this hurricane struck the
eastern coast of Florida, passed over the Florida peninsula,
entered the Gulf of Mexico, and moved north-westerly until
it slammed into the Louisiana coast on August 26. Hurricane
Andrew caused over $27 billion worth of damage in Florida
and Louisiana. It was not only the costliest storm to strike
the U.S. mainland but it was also one of the most intense.
This publication describes how hurricanes form and the immediate
impact Andrew had on the coast. It also describes ongoing
ecological studies of the short- and long-term effects on
coastal barrier islands, wetlands, and swamps and bottomland
hardwood forests in Louisiana and their wildlife.

The
zebra mussel, an exotic mollusc native to temperate waters
in southwestern Russia and Ukraine, has spread throughout
most of Europe and has now entered North America. Their
presence represents a potential problem to the warm water
aquaculture industry. The Zebra Mussel/Critical Control
Point (ZM/CCP) program is a proactive, common sense approach
to address potential impacts of zebra mussels on warm water
aquaculture. This packet outlines steps in the program as
it applies to bait fish, catfish, crawfish, tilatia and
hybrid striped bass.

This
study focuses on the dispersal of zebra mussels by overland
movement of recreational watercraft from one body of water
to another. It had two primary goals: first, to collect
information about the patterns of movement of recreational
boaters in and out of Toledo Bend Reservoir in the State
of Louisiana, and, second, to determine the levels of awareness
of the recreational boaters in this area on the subject
of zebra mussels.